It's Annie turn!

Well what an emotional week Mummy has had. With BJ starting Prep, Matt back at school and now Annie starting kindy. Annie was excited that it was FINALLY her turn. She had watched her older brothers have photos on their first day and she was not going to miss out. So before Dad could leave for work she made sure that she had her photo taken with him.

Annie all excited about her first day at Kindy.

Daddy and Annie

Annie had a fantastic first half day. She painted two beautiful pictures, played in the sand pit, ate morning tea, had a story read to her and sang some songs. So when Annie got home she did not complain one bit about having an afternoon nap before picking Matthew up from school.

Matthew's first day in Year 2

Next in line to go to school was Matthew. Matthew is in Year 2 and he absolutely loves school. He was so excited about going back, especially after Benjamin had started school the day before. Matt's main priority was to see all his friends and to see when he is allowed to go to the library at lunchtime. So on the way home from his first day Matt informed me that his teacher is 'nice', his friends are not in his class and he is not allowed to go to the library until next week! These were Matthew's three biggest things for him on the first day.

Matthew on the first day of Year 2

Matthew and Benjamin all ready for school

"best mates"

Matthew and Benjamin are both so excited about being at school together. Benjamin's classroom is right underneath Matthew's and the boys think that is 'cool'! They have already conjured up a plan on how to wave to each other. But from a Mummy's perspective I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that I have two at school!! and the 'first days' have not ended for this year yet!!

Benjamin's first day of school

Well the day had finally arrived. Benjamin had been counting down the sleeps for a week until he started school. He was so excited to finally be at school with Daddy and Matt.

the mandatory family photo

all ready for school

standing outside the classroom

doing the first activity - puzzles

After all the photos were taken, we piled into the car and headed off for school. Once we arrived Benjamin found his name tag and waited patiently outside his classroom door for the teacher to open it. Once the bell rang and it was time to go inside Benjamin's grin was from ear to ear. He found his special bag locker, put his hat in his bag and then sat on the carpet to do a puzzle. Daddy was able to come down from his office to see Benjamin settle into his new classroom and this was a highlight from BJ. After 15mins of settling in time it was time for the Mummy and Daddy's to leave and let school begin! Benjamin was only at school until after morning tea as this is a staggered entry week for Prep students. So on the drive home he informed us (Mum, Matty, Annie and Lucy) what he got up to at BIG school. They played with the puzzles, sang some songs, did some colouring in and had morning tea. All in all BJ had a GREAT day.

Last day with the Wiseman's

On the final day with the Wiseman's we did what we do best, PACK AS MUCH INTO THE DAY AS WE CAN!!

Jake decided to stay at Noonie's house to help his Mum and Dad pack the car, but Ryan, Mikayla and Jordy decided to make a trip over to our house. So we started with a walk/bike/scooter ride to the 'Bob the Builder' park. The kids had a ball climbing the frames, riding the flying fox and spinning around on the spinny things. While walking home we had to follow tradition by playing in the vacant carparks at kindy and the childcare centre. The boys in particular enjoyed riding their scooters and racing each other, while the girls took turns riding the bikes in cirlces around the perimeter of the carparks. There was one mishap in which Aunty Ang did not realise that Jordy did not know how to use the brakes on the bike so after a slight collision with a bush Jordy had a very quick lesson on using brakes! After the park we headed back home to have a cool down and to eat an ice block. Once Lucy was awake we piled into our cars and drove to a second park near Noonie's house that had scooter jumps for the boys. The girls played happily on the fort while the boys rode their scooters. There was so much to do at this 'new' park so we stayed for quite a while. After Benjamin had a 'stack' and the tummy's started to rumble we knew it was time to head back to Noonie's house for some dinner and some play time with Jake. It was so nice to be able to have one last meal together before the 'Wiseman's' made their long journey home.

Holidays at Moffats

Thanks to Noonie we were able to have a unit holiday for a week at Moffats Beach. We all went along: us, Noonie and the Wisemans. It was a fantastic week of swimming, boogie boarding, swimming, playing UNO, swimming, scootering, eating, swimming, swimming and swimming! All the kids (and the adults too) really enjoyed the resort pool. The pool was such a hit because it had a water slide which all the kids really loved, Lucy included! The spa also was a huge success. It was just the right depth for Lucy, Annie and Jordy to jump and play around in without having to be held. Another highlight of the holiday was watching the boys boogie board. This was Ryan's and Jake's first go and they picked it up really quickly. The only downside was Jake being stung by a bluebottle on his first day at the beach. Therefore, he was not a big fan of Dickies Beach after that!! So when we went on our beach walk from Dickies Beach to Curramundi Lake days after and there were bluebottles scattered all along the shoreline, poor Jakey walked up on the highest point of the sand dunes the WHOLE way chanting "I don't like Dickies Beach, there are too many bluebottles. I don't like Dickies Beach, there are too many bluebottles." However he thoroughly enjoyed the walk once he realized there were shells everywhere for him to collect. And that's exactly what all the kids did. We must have collected half the beach worth of shells by the time we got to the lake!

Eating was also a priority! We had a lovely family BBQ one night by the pool followed by a very late swim for the boys and Mikayla. The kids thought this was so cool! While the littlies had to go to bed, they got to go for ANOTHER swim. Jordy did however, peek out from behind the curtains and give Matthew a wave as her bedroom window overlooked the pool. Annie made sure she did not miss out on her late night swim so on the last night Daddy took just Annie for a swim. Freezing as it may have been, Annie was not going to let that stop her!

Homemade Cold Rock was also a family favourite. We would all go to the shops and pick out one add-in and then return home to make magic! The kids thought long and hard about which one to pick. On one occasion BJ was allowed to pick 2 because he went for a walk with Mummy and Noonie one afternoon from Moffats beach to Kings Beach and even though it was sunshine when we left, it did end up raining by the time we where walking past Shelly's Beach. BJ did not complain one little bit but kept on being piggyed backed on Mummy while yelling in her ear about his hat blowing off!

During the quiet time of the day (the time when Lucy would have her day sleep) the kids played UNO, and lots of it. This too was definitely another favourite thing to do. It took Jake the whole week to win a game, the last one at that too!

There are so many memories from our wonderful holiday at the unit: fish and chips at the pirate ship park, playing beach cricket at the lagoon with uncle Daniel, flying the kites, the boys riding their scooters at the jumps, morning tea by the pool and sunbaking to get warm....

Thanks Noonie xxxxxx

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a wonderful day full of many memories. The day started with Matthew and Benjamin waking up at 5:05am and running into Mum and Dad's bedroom with such joy and excitement shouting "Merry Christmas". So as a good father does, he rolls over mumbling Merry Christmas boys and falls back to sleep! BUT a great Mum sits up in bed, after having little sleep, to watch the boys open up their Santa sacks to discover what Santa had brought them (and explain to them why Santa gave with either socks or undies!) After playing quietly in Mum and Dad's bedroom with their new toys for an hour, the girls FINALLY woke up. It was wonderful to watch the boys sitting on the end of our bed waiting with such great anticipation for the girls to open their Santa sacks and then show them their genuine excitement when the girls were showing them their new hair clips and clothes. Now it was time to see if Santa had eaten his snacks and if the reindeer's had eaten their carrots! So the kids ran to the front door to see if Santa had eaten his homemade goodies. And of coarse he did so they went outside to see if the reindeer's had eaten their carrots and this is what they found....

Benjamin couldn't believe the mess the reindeers had left!

Matthew was shocked that the reindeers had made a mess on Dad's good grass!

We all then proceeded inside to wait for Grandma and Grandad to arrive so we could open the rest of the presents and have a BIG Christmas breakfast. Once they arrived we continued to open more presents and the lounge room slowly filled with wrapping paper, boxes, presents, instructions to new toys and lots of laughter. We all then sat down for breakfast of cereal, mangoes, croissants, ham and eggs, cherries.....

After a rather large breakfast Grandma and Grandad headed home so they could prepare for their next event (lunch at Uncle Doug's) and we just sat back and enjoyed a quiet morning waiting for our next big event, Christmas with the Wiseman's!!

Once the Wiseman's showed up we opened MORE presents, with MORE laughter and excitement. Then the Dad's took 7 of the kids (Lucy went down for a sleep) over for a swim in N&A's pool while the Mum's started to prepare for the next feast! a late lunch as we ALL had a rather large breakfast.

Lunch was delicious. We had ham, turkey, roast beef, potatoes, pumpkin, parsnip (for Aunty Kim!), carrots, peas and of course plenty of gravy. And to top it all off, christmas pudding and custard AND a new family favourite, icecream christmas pudding. Uncle Rob especially enjoyed this one!

After a beautiful lunch we all headed down stairs to play with new toys and old toys, play new games and old games, but really all we wanted to do was to be together. Christmas is definitely a time to celebrate with family as we did just that! For me my favourite memory of Christmas this year was when we ALL went to church together on Christmas Eve to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. To look at the row in front of me to see my mum and my brother and his family, sitting beside me to see my husband and his parents and on the other side of me to see my husbands sister and her family plus my brother in laws mother and to have my Lucy Goosey and my youngest niece on my lap is truly a memory I will always cherish. That is what Christmas is all about.

Christmas with the Aunties!

As always we have a get together with Aunty Jo and Aunty Emma right before christmas. This year we had a break with tradition, instead of a big christmas dinner we had a picnic in the backyard in the late of the afternoon. It was such a lovely afternoon of eating such yummy homemade goodies.

All of us - and the kids with their presents

Lucy and Aunty Jo

After afternoon tea it was time to decorate the christmas biscuits. So with Aunty Emma and Aunty Jo's help we set off to work.

Annie and Lucy putting M&M's on their biscuits

Annie, Aunty Jo and Lucy

BJ, Aunty Emma and Matthew

Christmas baking

Another one of our family christmas traditions is Christmas baking!! We bake all sorts of things but the kids favourite is chocolate biscuits with M&M's for decorations.

STEP ONE: make the biscuits

Annie sifting the ingredients

Lucy helping to sift also

STEP TWO: cut out the biscuits

Matthew cutting out the biscuits

BJ helping too!

STEP THREE: yet to come!!

December Babies!

Thomas, Grandad and Angela

With Thomas and I sharing the same birth date and Grandad celebrating his three days before us we always have a combined birthday celebration. This year we had a special Chinese lunch which was requested by Grandad as it was his 70th celebration!

Happy Birthday Thomas and Grandad!

Grandad's 70th birthday party!!

Happy Birthday Grandad!!

For Grandad's 70th Birthday party we had an afternoon tea at Uncle Doug's place with all of Grandad's family and friends. All of the daughters (and daughter in law!) provided the food (feast!) and Uncle Doug provided the beautiful setting. It was a great day had by all.

Grandad with Daddy

Grandad cutting the cake

Once the majority of the guests had left, it was time for a swim! We can never let an opportunity pass for a swim in Uncle Doug's pool.

All the kids and Uncle Lorne in the pool.